Paultons Park’s newest attraction thundered to life Saturday morning as Drakon, the UK’s first ever inverting rollercoaster, sliced through the skies above Ower, Hampshire. The £12 million Viking-themed land, Valgard: Realm of the Vikings, flung open its gates to a flood of families, adrenaline junkies and theme park critics who had queued since dawn to be the first to ride.
Lawrence Mancey, marketing and technology director, stood beside the towering 110-foot vertical lift of Drakon as the first train cleared the final inversion and skidded to a stop at 10:07 a.m. “This isn’t just another ride,” Mancey said. “It’s our first real step into the big leagues. Three years of planning, 350,000 engineering hours and 1,200 tonnes of steel now deliver a ride that doesn’t just thrill but immerses.”
Key Points
- ✅ Drakon is Paultons Park’s first inverting rollercoaster
- ⚡ The ride accelerates from 0-44 mph in under 3 seconds
- 💡 Valgard: Realm of the Vikings is the park’s largest single investment
Drakon’s layout snakes through a 140-acre landscape reimagined as the mythical realm of Valgard, complete with timber longhouses, flickering hearths and a 25-foot waterfall that feeds into the coaster’s station queue. The ride features two inversions: a heartline roll and a zero-g roll, both executed mid-air while riders dangle 100 feet above ground.
| Attraction | Height | Speed | Thrills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drakon | 110 ft | 44 mph | Vertical lift, two inversions |
| Vild Swing | 12 m | — | 12-metre pendulum swing |
| Raven | — | — | Out-and-back bobsled |
Vild Swing catapults riders 12 metres into the air in a pendulum motion, while Raven sends families plummeting down a snowy slope in a bobsled-style vehicle. Together, the trio brings Valgard’s total attractions to 81, pushing Paultons Park past the 80-ride milestone for the first time in its history.
💡 Pro Tip
Arrive before 9 a.m. to ride Drakon with minimal wait. The park’s “Thrill Pass” offers guaranteed access to Drakon and Vild Swing during peak hours for an extra £12.
The Feasting Hall restaurant, with its long communal tables and Viking-style spit-roasted meats, opened alongside The Orchard playground, a soft-play zone themed around Viking orchards. Mancey confirmed a water ride is already in development to extend Valgard’s western border, scheduled to debut in 2027.
📋 By The Numbers
- £12 million — Total investment in Valgard
- 1,200 tonnes — Steel used in Drakon’s structure
- 350,000 hours — Engineering and design time
Paultons Park’s latest expansion follows a £20 million investment over the past five years, including the 2025 opening of Storm Chaser, a spinning wild mouse coaster. The park also secured four gold trophies at the UK Theme Park Awards 2025—Theme Park of the Year, Best Theme Park for Families, Best Theme Park for Toddlers and Best New Attraction. TripAdvisor ranks it eighth globally and fourth in Europe.
Admission starts at £46.75 per adult, with children priced at £44.25. Parking is free. Annual passes now include unlimited rides on Drakon, Vild Swing and Raven, along with early access to Valgard’s water ride when it launches.
